Device for removing the heads of golf clubs



y 1939- w. L. WETTLAUFER 2,160,395

DEVICE FOR REMOVING THE HEADS OF GOLF CLUBS Filed July 6, 1937 INVENTOR Mlham L. Mziilaufer 8. W /gL/m 45 59 ATTORNEY Patented May 30, 1939 PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR REMOVING THE HEADS OF GOLF CLUBS William L. Wettlaufer, Buffalo, N. Y. Application July 6, 1937, Serial No. 152,047

3' Claims.

This invention relates to a device which, although available for other purposes, is characterized by features which adapt it particularly to the removing of the heads of golf clubs from .5 their shafts.

One object of the invention is to provide a de vice which may be manipulated with facility and without the aid of tools.

A further object is to provide a device which is so designed that marring of or injury to the parts of the club is avoided.

A still further object is to provide a novel design and arrangement ofthe parts of the device, whereby simplicity and economy in construction 15 are obtained.

Theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the device applied to a golf club preparatory to the g0 removal of the headof the latter;

' Figure Zis a top ViBW; of the device, the parts being shown in the positions to which they are adjusted to receive the, club.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal line3 -3ofFigure2.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figures 5 and 6 are similar'sections taken along lines 5-5 and 6-45, respectively, of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is aview similar tQFigure 6 showing a modified form of washer.

Figure 8 is a detail section and is taken along line 88 of Figure 7.

The device is illustrated, by way of example,

35 in connection with a golf club ll] of conventional design, the head and shaft of the said club being indicated at I! and I2, respectively, and being secured together by a screw [3, the end of the said shaft being slightly tapered in accordance 40 with standard practice and being forced into a similarly shaped socket in the club head as the said screw is tightened.

As illustrated, the device includes a sleevelike body M which is formed with a longitudi- 45 nally extending slot !5, the said slot being of a width which is greater than the diameter of the shaft l2. At one end the body I4 is threaded as at I 6 while at the opposite end it is formed to provide an extension I! which is welded or section :taken along an otherwise secured to a plate l8. The said plate carries posts l9 and 20, the latter providing a pivotal mounting for a plate 2! which carries a saddle 22 while the former co-operates with an arcuate slot 23 formed in the free end of the 55 plate 2!. The threaded ends of the posts I9 and 2,0 carry win nuts 24 which may be adjusted to'move'the plate 2! toward the plate l8, a spring 20a which is arranged on the post 20 between the said plates causing them to separate when the said wing nuts are loosened. 5 The threaded end l6 of the body l4 carries a nut 25 which is provided with a handle 25a and which is formed ,witha slot 26 of substantially the same width as the slot I5. The nut 25 co-operates with a washer 2'! which, as illustrated in Figure 6, consists of companion sections 28 and 29. The saidsections are formed to provide a central opening 3| and are connected by a link 30. They are held loosely against the shaft 12 by a latch 32 which, is connected by a spring 33 to the washer section 29 and which is formed or provided with teeth 34 which are engageable with a pin 35 carried by the washer section 28. The latch 32 when released permits the free ends ofthe sections Hand 29 to spread go far enough apart to enable the shaft to enter or be withdrawn fromthe opening 3 l. In the usev of the device the washer 27' is arranged upon the shaft l2 against the terminal portion of the shank ofthe club head and the other parts are adjusted as shown in Figure 2, the plate 2! being positioned at right angles to the plate [8 while the nut occupies a position in which the slot 26 registers with the slot [5. The body M of the device is arranged-upon the said shaft so that the nut 25 is located against or in close proximity to the washer 21. When the parts are arranged as described the plate 2| is moved to the position shown in Figure l, in which position the saddle 22 is located over the shaft. The wing nuts 24 are then tightened to cause the shaft to be engaged firmly between the saddle 22 and the body extension ll. Thereafter the nut 25 is rotated in a direction which will cause it to engage the washer 21 and move the latter axially along the shaft toward the club head, it being understood, of course, that prior to such operation the screw I3 is removed. As the washer 21 is moved along the shaft l2 in the manner described its movement is transmitted to the club head to effect the partial withdrawal of the end of the shaft from its socket, a slight movement of the club head being sufficient to loosen it to such an extent that its complete removal may be easily effected. Upon completion of the operations described the device may be readily removed by first loosening the wing nuts 24 and then slipping the device off the end of the shaft from which the club head has been removed, it being understood that, if desired, the 55 device may be removed by moving the plate and nut 2| and 25, respectively, to the positions shown in Figure 2 to enable the shaft l2 to be lifted out of the body l4. The washer 2'! in such case is then removed by releasing the latch 32 so that the sections 28 and 29 may be spread far enough to enable the shaft to be withdrawn from the opening 3|.

A modified form of washer is illustrated in Figures '7 and 8. In this embodiment the washer which is indicated at 36 consists of companion sections 31 and 38 which are connected together by a link 39. The said sections may be latched upon the shaft by a yoke 40 which is pivotally connected to the section 31. The free end of the said yoke carries a threaded element 4|. The inner end of the latter is adapted to enter a recess 42 when the yoke is positioned over a reduced extension 43 which is provided upon the section 38. It will be apparent that the element 4|, when the yoke 40 occupies the position shown in Figure '7, may be adjusted to cause the sections 31 and 38 to lightly engage the shaft l2. When it is desired to remove the washer 36 it may be slipped off the end of the shaft (assuming the club head to be removed) or the sections 31 and 33 may be separated to enable withdrawal of the shaft between them by first unscrewing the element 4| far enough to permit the yoke to be pivoted clear of the extension 43.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device for removing the head of a golf club including a barrel which is threaded at one end and which is formed with a longitudinally extending channel for accommodating the shaft of said club, a bar fixed to the other end of said barrel, a second bar which is pivotally mounted on said first mentioned bar and which is movable to one position in which it extends across said channel and to a second position in which it extends alongside said channel, means for moving said second bar toward said first mentioned bar when the former is in said'first position, whereby to secure said shaft to said barrel and an element which is screwed upon the threaded end of said barrel and which is adjustable when said shaft is secured in the manner described to force said head off the end of said shaft, said element having a slot which may be aligned with the channel in said barrel.

2. A device for removing the head of a golf club including a barrel which is threaded at one end and which is formed with a longitudinally extending channel for accommodating the shaft of said club, a bar fixed to the other end of said barrel, a second bar which is pivotally mounted on said first mentioned bar and which is movable to one position in which it extends across said channel and to a second position in which it extends alongside said channel, means for moving said second bar toward said first mentioned bar when the former is in said first position, whereby to secure said shaft to said barrel, a nut which is screwed upon the threaded end of said barrel and a washer which fits over said shaft in the vicinity of said head and which is adjustable to the size of said shaft, said nut having a slot which may be aligned with the channel in said barrel and being adjustable when said shaft is secured in the manner described to move said washer along said shaft to carry said head with it.

3. A device for removing the head of a golf club including a barrel which is threaded at one end and which is formed with a longitudinally extending channel for accommodating the shaft of said club, a bar fixed to the other end of said barrel, a bolt carried by said bar at each side of said channel, a second bar which is pivotally mounted on one of said bolts and which is movable to one position in which it extends across said channel and to a second position in which it extends alongside said channel, said second bar being formed with a slot which the other of said bolts enters when it is moved to said first position, nuts carried by said bolts which are adjustable to move said second bar toward said first mentioned bar when the former is in said first position, whereby to secure said shaft to said barrel, an element which is screwed upon the threaded end of said barrel and a washer which fits over said shaft in the vicinity of said head and which is adjustable to the size of said shaft, said element having a slot which may be aligned with the channel in said barrel and being adjustable when said shaft is secured in the manner described to move said washer along said shaft to carry said head with it.

WILLIAM L. WETTLAUFER. 

